Biomaterial Database

Seasonal affective disorder and latitude of living. 2009

Greta Brancaleoni, and Elena Nikitenkova, and Luigi Grassi, and Vidje Hansen

Department of Clinical Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tromsø, and Psychiatric Department, University Hospital North, Norway.

OBJECTIVE Since the importance of latitude of living for the prevalence of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is unclear, the study aims to test the latitude hypothesis by comparing SAD in two rather similar groups of students living at latitudes far apart. METHODS Two groups of students, 199 in Tromsø, Norway (690 N) and 188 in Ferrara, Italy (440 N) were asked to fill in the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. RESULTS Global Seasonality score (GS-score) was significantly higher in Italian than in Norwegian students, in females and in students with sleeping-problems. Norwegian students had significantly higher SAD prevalence in winter and in spring. Most people in both countries felt worst in October and November, and the prevalence of Autumn SAD was not significantly different between the two countries. CONCLUSIONS The hypothesis that SAD is linked to amount of environmental light and latitude of living was not supported.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007558	Italy	A country in southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. The capital is Rome.	Sardinia
D008297	Male		Males
D009664	Norway	A country located in northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden. The capital is Oslo.	Kingdom of Norway
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016574	Seasonal Affective Disorder	A syndrome characterized by depressions that recur annually at the same time each year, usually during the winter months. Other symptoms include anxiety, irritability, decreased energy, increased appetite (carbohydrate cravings), increased duration of sleep, and weight gain. SAD (seasonal affective disorder) can be treated by daily exposure to bright artificial lights (PHOTOTHERAPY), during the season of recurrence.	Seasonal Mood Disorder,Winter Depression,Seasonal Affective Disorders,Affective Disorder, Seasonal,Depression, Winter,Disorder, Seasonal Affective,Disorder, Seasonal Mood,Mood Disorder, Seasonal,Seasonal Mood Disorders
D055815	Young Adult	A person between 19 and 24 years of age.	Adult, Young,Adults, Young,Young Adults